For the love of Ice Cream

Recently, as a Christmas gift from work, I got a gift certificate for Williams and Sonoma. This being the perfect gift for me as my boss knows I'm a total "foodie".  As I'm browsing the website, I'm memorized by all the gadgets and electrics to choose from.  I'm a big fan of Cuisinart electrics and have had good luck with all that I have purchased.  There it is in shiny stainless steal to match my kitchen.  A 2qt frozen yogurt and ice cream maker.  

A simple little machine to help make some of our favorite ice cream flavors.  I was really excited with the thought that I could make natural, fresh ice cream when I wanted to without all the added sugar and preservatives of store bought ice cream.  

In the mail arrives my ice cream maker, I take it out of all it's packaging and looking at the three pieces it comes in and think to myself  "How simple".  So I do some research on the internet to find some basic recipes for a good creamy base for my ice cream, find many different websites, recipes and opinions.  Of course being health conscious and all, my first thoughts are to cut the fat out of the ice cream to make it healthier.  Let's just say that was my first mistake in ice cream making...

My first batch of Ice Cream was Toasted Coconut Banana Ice Cream.  I go through the kitchen and gather my ingredients, coconut, coconut cream, skim milk, half and half.  I follow the directions thoroughly, cooking my ingredients and then chilling.  Now it's time to make the ice cream.  I get my frozen cylinder out of the freezer and then pour my mixture in and turn the machine on.  Here we go, we're making ice cream or so I thought.  Twenty five minutes pass and it's done, I grab a spoon and try it out.  It has an incredible flavor but the texture just isn't there but I think to myself  "It's just soft right now, throw it in the freezer and it will be perfect".  Not the case, I let it freeze overnight and take it out, frozen solid...you can't even get a spoon into it.  Lesson learned here is that ice cream is just meant to be full of fatty cream which equals "oh so delicious".  The more ingredients you use that have a higher water content and lower fat content the more ice crystals you get in your ice cream and it doesn't freeze well, naturally because the water in the ice cream wants to harden like ice cubes do.  

Second batch of ice cream after doing some more research and learning about the fundamentals of ice cream making was a home run!  I learned the keys to a perfect batch of ice cream is four essential ingredients.  

Whole Milk, Heavy Whipping Cream, Eggs and White Granulated Sugar

With these essential ingredients, the ice cream flavor possibilities are endless.  My husband and I love Heath Bar Crunch Ice Cream so it seemed fitting that this should be our next flavor to try.  

Heath Bar Crunch (Candy in every bite)

Who would have thought that a simple little machine would open a whole new world of possibilities and cooking adventures for me to share with my family and friends.  The ironic thing is that without knowing the connection my husband bought me a double boiler for Christmas because I didn't have one, I always made a make-shift one and most cooked ice cream recipes require a double boiler.  For the love of ice cream this "foodie" adventure will continue...

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with mini chocolate chips, chopped peanut butter cups and chopped dry roasted peanuts.  A delicious combination.  I served this for dessert with warm mini brownie bites.  It was heavenly.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Fresh Mashed Strawberries in a creamy vanilla base with mini chocolate Chips.  My husband who again doesn't usually eat a lot of ice cream has been enjoying all this fresh ice cream.  This batch he took samples to work with him to share with his co-workers.

Mint Madness
Mint Ice Cream with chopped Grasshopper Cookies, mini chocolate chips and chopped Andes Mints.

Butter Pecan
1 c Pecans sauteed in butter mixed into a sweet cream base.  The added touch is the remaining butter after you remove the pecans mixed into the ice cream base.  It is so rich and creamy, the flavor of the pecans really come out with the buttery undertone in the ice cream.
This is one of my husbands favorite ice cream flavors and this was a home run with him.  He's the non ice cream eater in the family and he's already had two bowls of this ice cream today.

Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip
Maple flavored ice cream with pecan chips and mini chocolate chips.